Portable lectern



April 1965 c. N. JOHNSON 3,180,609

PORTABLE LECTERN Filed Nov. 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. CLYDE 4/(/Of/A/SO/ April 27, 1965 c. N. JOHNSON 3,180,609

PORTABLE LECTERN Filed Nov. 15, less 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Cl. yo:IV- dOl/A/SO/V BY MW 6. x AL United States Patent 3,180,609 PORTABLELECTERN Clyde N. Johnson, 244 SE. 44th St., Oklahoma City, Okla. FiledNov. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 324,155 1 Claim. (Cl. 248-460) (Granted underTitle 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein maybe manufactured and used by or for the United States Government forgovernmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to a foldable portable lectern.

Prior lecterns have had the common disadvantage of being bulky,unwieldy, and unattractive, which have had the important of detractingfrom the speakers message. Earlier lecterns have lacked the compactnessand ease of transportability and erection which the present inventi-onembodies.

Therefore,'it is an object of the present invention to provide aportable lectern which furnishes the maximum in ease oftransportability.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable lectern whichis compact and light in weight.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable lectern whichis sturdy and simple in design.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable lectern whichis easily and economically manufactured.

These and other objects will become readily apparent by the followingspecification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lectern in the unfolded position;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the lectern in the unfolded position;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the lectern in the folded position;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the lectern in the unfolded position; and FIG.5 is an enlarged perspective view of the first foldable brace 9 which isidentical in design as the second foldable brace 15.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, the lecterncomprises a base 5 which is rectangular in shape and has four gliders 7on the bottom of the base, one glider on each corner.

A semicircle .23 is cut out of the rectangular base 5 to provide spacefor the lectern users feet when standing behind the lectern and facingthe work platform 13. The base 5 is attached to the substantiallyvertical support member 1 by means of a piano hinge 19 which is locatedat the lower end of the vertical support member 1 and connected to thebase 5 at a point intermediate the ends of the base 5. The base 5 isalso connected to the vertical support member 1 by means of a firstfoldable brace 9 comprising two brackets. The vertical support member 1has a strengthening member 3 attached to it in a longitudinal directionto add stability and strength to the vertical support member 1. Thevertical support member 1 has two oval openings 21 on each side 'of thestructural strengthening member 3 and located midway between the ends ofthe vertical support member 1. The openings 21 function as carryinghandles or handholds for ease in transporting the lectern.

The work platform 13 is attached at the upper end of the verticalsupport member 1 at an acute angle with respect to the vertical supportmember 1 by means of a piano hinge 17. The work platform 13 is alsoconnected to the vertical support member 1 by means of a second foldablebrace comprising two brackets 15. At the end R 3,180,609 Patented Apr.27, 1965 of the work platform 13, opposite the end attached to thevertical support member 1, is a projecting strip 11 attached to the workplatform 13 to provide a raised rib to function as a stop for the paperor material placed on the work platform.

When the lectern is in the unfolded position the first foldable brace 9and the second foldable brace 15 are in the extended and lockedposition.

The lectern is folded by collapsing the first foldable brace g and thesecond foldable brace 15 into the folded position. The first foldablebrace 9 comprises a pair of pivoted brackets, each bracket comprisingtwo links 23 and 25. One of the links 23 is U-shaped in cross section31and the other link 25 is rectangular in cross section. When the firstfoldable brace 9 is in the folded position, the U-shaped link 23receives and substantially encloses the rectangular link 25.

The foldable brace 15 comprises a pair of pivoted brackets, each bracketcomprising two links 27 and 29'. One of the links 27 is U-shaped incross section and the other link 29 is rectangular in cross section.When the second foldable brace 15 is in the folded position, theU-shaped link 2'7 receives and substantially encloses the rectangularlink '29. Each of the foldable braces 9 and 15 consists of a pair ofbrackets including a pair of links 23, 25. Link 23 is U-shaped in crosssection 3 1 and link 25 is rectangular in cross section. Links 23, 25are pivotally interconnected by pin 28 at a point inward of the end 33of link 23. This described relationship permits link 25 to be foldedinto U-shaped link 23 so as to be compact when the lectern is folded.Also, due to the overlapping of the links the end 33 of link 27functions as a stop when the brackets are in the extended or lockedposition.

Each of the foldable braces are identical; hence, only one has beendescribed.

When the lectern is in the folded position the base 5 lies alongside andis parallel to the vertical support member I. When the lectern is in thefolded position the work platform 13 lies alongside and is parallel tothe vertical support member 1.

One specific embodiment of this invention has been described; however,various modifications would be obvious to one skilled in the art; hence,the breadth of the invention is that described in the following claim.

I claim:

A foldable portable lectern comprising a base, a substantially verticalsupport member hinged to the base at a point intermediate the ends ofthe base, carrying means on the vertical support member, a firstfoldable brace means interconnecting the vertical support member andbase to rigidly support the vertical support member in a substantiallyvertical position relative to the base when the brace means is in itsunfolded position, a work platform hinged at its upper end to the upperend of the vertical support member, a second foldable brace meansinterconnecting the vertical support member and the work platform andsupports the platform at an acute angle with respect to the verticalsupport member when the brace means is in the unfolded position, aprojecting strip attached to the end of the work platform that is notattached to the vertical support to function as a rest for the paper ormaterial placed onthe platform, the first and second brace means eachinclude a pair of pivoted brackets, each bracket comprising two links,one of the links is U-shaped in cross-section and the other link beingrectangular in cross-section, the U-shaped link-is adapted to receiveand substantially enclose the rectangular link when the bracket is infolded position, whereby the lectern is foldable by folding the bracemeans to thereby permit the work platform and base to be collapsed intoa position parallel to the vertical support member for 2,567,593 9/51Bemis 108-150 X easy transponability. 3,117,816 1/64 De Sena 297-156References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN S,

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 900,211 7/62 Great Britain.

7 583,418 10/58 Italy. 348,706 9/86 'Weiner 29746O 2,235,989 3/41Gruetzmacher et a1. Hui 413 460 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primciry Examiner.

